Ghost of the Underdark
by Nedy Rahn
Summary: A child of a Drow from Menzoberranzan and a Human from Earth returns to Faerun to find her lost twin brother. She is helped by a friend and lover who has connections with Project Blue Book and the people working under the mountain.
1. Chapter 1

Ghosts of the Underdark

By

D. L. Hemmingway

Note: The DnD setting of the Forgotten Realms was created by Ed Greenwood and is the property of Wizards of the Coast. The Characters of Johannes, Vlondril and Faith Hunker and Paul David Baird are mine along with the Characters of Nedylene Rahn and Tara Rahn.

Prologue

Vlondril ran for her life down the dark cavern she didn't bother to look behind her. Her Ilharess had found out of her beliefs and had sent her sisters to find her. She ran as fast as she could to find a way up, up to the night above. She turned into this cavern when she found him. He was human and not like any human she had heard of. He wore strange clothing and held a stranger yet weapon. It resembled a crossbow like those used by the caravan guards and the city watch of Menzoberranzan. Yet it was different.

Her hesitation at seeing him allowed her pursuers to close. In a language she didn't understand the man yelled something, but the hand gesture was plain. She ducked down. Then he put the weapon to his shoulders and there was a loud boom shortly afterwards. Along with the boom came a bright blinding flash of light in the darkness. Then there was stillness except for the moans of some wounded and the whispered concerns of those of her hunters who took to the shadows to watch what the man would do next.

The man offered her hand again speaking in a language she didn't understand. Again the message was clear though, "If you want to live come with me." Vlondril took the proffered hand and went with the man. He only had to use his weapon one other time to get their pursuers to back off. Then as they ran down the cavern tunnel she noticed the man was following scratches in the walls like arrows.

He used a small glowing light on the strange helmet he wore to light his way. The light was bright, but Vlondril's eyes adjusted to its glare and she could see he had indeed been following scratches in the walls of the caver like a trail back the way they were now going. The man wore finally woven clothing, but it was of a sort meant for rugged work and perhaps even exploring caves and caverns like this one.

The man eventually slowed to a careful walk as they approached an oddly glowing shimmering energy field in an arch. Through it she could see another cavern or tunnel beyond. The rock there wasn't the same granite that this one was made of. No it looked like some sort of limestone. Where the tunnels here were carved out by ancient magma flows the one beyond the shimmering veil looked to be craved by the actions of water. She looked on in wonder at the tannish stone walls beyond.

Did she go on? Vlondril thought as she looked back the way she came and then into the veil and beyond. The man gestured for her to follow. The sounds of their pursuers finally catching up with them decided for her. She did not want to feed the Spider Queen and this human may just be her salvation. She took his hand again and followed him through the veil.

There seemed to be a feeling of traveling long distances. It was not like walking into the portals her late father manipulated or created. Yet she found herself in a tunnel of light and following it as it swirled through the cosmos. She sensed she still held the man's hand and then the swirling sensation and the moving one ended. Vlondril found herself now stepping out of the veil into the limestone cavern. Almost as soon as she and the man were clear of the veil it disappeared.

Vlondril looked around the water carved cavern and then at the man. He was tall, tanned from years of working under a harsh light, He had hair the color of gold and eyes as blue as diamonds. He had a smile that warmed her heart too. He was tall too, nearly six feet tall if not slightly more. The weapon he held had two barrels and he now had it broken open and was extracting two brass and paper shells from its back. These he put into a pocket on the tan colored vest he wore over his overcoat. Then from loops on the front he took two more similar shells and placed each into one of the two barrels.

It dawned on Vlondril that the weapon was indeed similar to a crossbow. The shells were how the weapon was loaded and thus it needed them to make the loud noises and bright flashes of light it made. She was watching as the man reloaded the weapon then snapped it shut.

Turning to her he again gestured for her to follow him. That was when she noticed he had a large knife on his belt and a blanket material covered metal circular water bottle slung from one should and across his body to rest on one hip and a leather bag like pouch slung from the other shoulder and resting on his opposite hip. The man's clothing was a green wool heavy coat, a lighter green cloth jacket, and a green wool cloth long sleeved shirt tucked into a pair of brown finely woven canvas like cloth pants. These in turn were tucked into laced up brown leather boots with some sort of non-leather flexible sole that seemed to grip the surface of the cavern floor as they climbed upwards.

After a few hours of climbing Vlondril and the man came to a cave opening, she could see through it that it was dark outside. She had ventured to the surface twice before her Ilharess sent her minions to arrest her. Each of those times Vlondril had gone to dance under the light of Selûne, Faerûn's moon. She knew that the surface here was in the night's share of the cycle. The glare was bad, but not as bad as if it had been daylight.

The man gestured for her to follow. So Vlondril took his hand and again went with him. Somehow she knew this man was one to trust. The feeling came from deep within her and she remembered a vision the Lady of the Dance shared with her as she saw the full face of this world's unfractured moon for the first time. There above her was the face of the moon named Luna. The Dark Maiden had told her that she would travel far and live a long time under the light of the moon Luna. That Luna would watch her give birth to half-dark elven children who would someday return to Toril and help to end her mother's reign of terror. Vlondril somehow thought at first that Eilistraee was talking about Ilharess Baenre, but it was the Spider Queen, Lolth, of whom Lady Silver Hair spoke.

She knew now that she was at her home, her new and last home. Vlondril stood out on a grassy bench of gravel and small stones looking out over a clear creek that ran over a rocky base at the foot of the limestone cliff face that was the front of the hill she stood on. Above her the hill rose another 100 feet and its slopes except where the rock face stood, were draped in mixed woodlands. Its top and those of the surrounding hills were crowned with grasslands and in some cases tilled fields covered in a blanket of white. "Where are we?" Vlondril asked, but the man looked at her confused as if he didn't understand her.

Vlondril smiled, nodded then gestured and touched the man on the lips with the fingers of her right hand. She said, "speak and be understood." Then there was a soft blue glow as she felt some of her goddess' power passed through her even this far from the realms. She smiled again and asked, "Where are we?"

The man smiled and said, "We're on Earth and this is my farm in Kansas." He made a gesture by sweeping his right hand along the vista to show that the grasslands, tilled fields, and the valley of trees were his. "I am Johannes Wilhelm Hunker my great grandfather settled this land after emigrating here from Germany after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Like his cousin who settled up in Osborne County Urgroßvater Georg August Hunker didn't want his son to grow up and serve in the Kaiser's army. So he came to America and then Kansas."

Then Johannes said, "How can I understand you and you me? Does it have something to do with the gestures and words you said?" He looked down at the five feet four inches tall Vlondril. He saw how beautiful her obsidian skin, amber colored eyes, and pale sunlight colored hair looked in the light of full moon. He may not have found Samuel, but he found someone else, someone from that world of darkness beyond. She ran from pursuers who looked to want to kill or capture her to be killed. Johannes had done his share of killing in Korea back in fifty two and fifty three. It was now sixty and he had been out of the Army for five years. He had been following the elections when Hans his younger brother ran into the old house saying that Samuel had disappeared into the cave.

Everyone in the Hunker home knew of the Cave, the Cave of the Lost. You could go into it but Uropa Georg when he lived said not to go too deep for there was something weird back in there. Hans said that Samuel had been going after a steer that wondered into the cave. There were four Hunker brothers in this generation and two sisters. Johannes was the eldest, then Samuel, then Hans, then Peter. The sisters were Gretchen and Katerina. All of his brothers and sisters and he had gone to look for Samuel and only he went the deepest into the cave system under Lost Cave Hill.

"We should go to the house and let my brothers, sisters, and parents know I could not find Samuel and only managed to rescue you. What do they call you back there in that world of darkness?" Johannes said as he looked into Vlondril's amber eyes.

Vlondril looked up into his kind eyes, eyes though kind which had seen years of torment sometime in his past. She knew he was a strong warrior even a paladin like those talked about in stories from the surface of Faerûn. She felt that he would protect her for as long as he could. Somehow Eilistraee led her to him knowing that he would not let Ilharess Baenre take her life.

Vlondril then looked back to the limestone cliff face to see if their pursuers came out of the cave entrance saying, "It is called the Underdark. It is a vast system of caves, tunnels, and caverns under the continent of Faerûn on the planet Abeir-Toril. My people were driven down there long ago for the sins of some of our leaders. Most followed them into the worship of a vengeful jealous goddess named Lolth yet some of us did not become fooled by the lies of the Spider Queen and follow the teachings of Eilistraee the Lady of the Dance. I am or was her priestess in Menzoberranzan. We are a small gathering of Moon Dancers as people are apt to call us. Those who chased me were out to capture me. Their mission was to take me to the Yathtaller or high priestess of Lolth for Menzoberranzan." She was looking for any appearance from the cave mouth of the Warriors sent after her.

The pair walked another quarter of a mile before they crossed the creek and took a trail that lead to the rear of the out buildings of a farmstead. Vlondril was amazed by the size of the farmstead. There was a large stone and wood barn, a house that though it had lots of windows would rival any small manorial keep of the surface dwellers. There were a few smaller stone buildings and a scattering of wood frame ones too. A woman wearing a dark colored overcoat and carrying a weapon similar to Johannes' stepped out of the shadow of one of the buildings.

"Johannes did you find Samuel?" the woman asked.

"No, but we have a guest. I rescued her from some people pursuing her back in the caverns under the hill. Well I think I was under the hill somewhere." Johannes looked back the direction they came from and shook his head a little, "To honest now I am not so sure I was under our hills when I found her. Susana, meet…" Johannes looked at Vlondril and said, "I don't think you gave me your name."

Vlondril looked at Johannes then at Susana and said smiling with embarrassment, "I am sorry. You asked me earlier before we got to your manor and all I did was tell you a small tiny bit about the Underdark. I am Vlondril, Vlondril Baenre. I am I suppose the black sheep of my family as I don't worship the Weaver of Lies." Vlondril looked from Johannes to Susana with a light in her eyes and an unasked question, 'Can I stay?'

Susana looked at Johannes and next Vlondril. The diminutive woman looked to stand only five feet four inches tall flat footed. She wore Johannes old Army wool overcoat to protect her from the Kansas winter cold. Yet she was so slim that the coat engulfed her. The smaller woman had slightly pointed ears, pale blondish silver hair, pale diamond blue eyes and a skin tone so dark it nearly blended into the night. It was black and so Susana still saw the woman plainly as the light from the pole in the farmyard allowed.

"You're not human are you miss?" Susana asked? Vlondril looked confused at the question. The look came from her not understanding Susana since she only cast Comprehend Languages on herself and on Johannes. Vlondril smiled and said something to Johannes and then he repeated Susana's question.

Johannes looked to Susana and said, "Vlondril says she's of the Ilythiiri. They are a branch of the Tel-Quessir or Elves as the humans of her world calls people of her race. The humans also call her people the Drow. It is a mispronunciation of the Darthiiri word Dhaerow or betrayer." Vlondril said something else to Johannes. "She said that the Darthiiri or surface elves named her people that after a great war thousands of years in the past. Her people and the other elven tribes warred over the surface of her world and her people used tactics that were deemed dishonorable by the others."

Vlondril then said some more to Johannes and he nodded. "It was also because their leaders turned from the faith of the rest of the Elves and followed a goddess who broke from the pantheon worshipped by the Elves. The goddess Lolth was jealous of the Elf Father or Corellon for abandoning her in favor of another and tried to seize the realm of the Elven gods and the surface of Faerûn on Abeir-Toril. The Elves and their gods banished Vlondril's people from the surface into the great maze that is the Underdark. There her people struggled to survive and save for a few turned more and more to the Spider Demon Queen Lolth for their guidance."

Vlondril talked more to Johannes who then translated for Susana, "Vlondril says her own house or family is the First House of Lolth's holy city in Faerûn's Underdark. Qu'ellar or House Baenre leads the darkness that engulfs her people in their great city. Vlondril herself is a chosen of the rebellious daughter of Lolth and Corellon, Eilistraee. Eilistraee whom she also calls the Dark Maiden, Lady Silver Hair, or the Lady of the Dance is the only light that her people have in all the gloom of the Underdark. She, Vlondril is or was the Uuthli Wenress or Blue Maiden of the sect of Eilistraee in Menzoberranzan. Her Ilharess or Matron Mother found out about Vlondril's beliefs and her position within the cult of Eilistraee and ordered them killed with Vlondril to be brought to her in chains."

Johannes now also looked back toward the cliff face and the cave that led under the hill. "It seems I rescued Vlondril from a party of soldiers from her mother's household guard. I'm not sure just how we passed from Earth to Abeir-Toril or otherwise. It now has me wondering if Samuel passed through the other way and if now he's trapped over there on that other world…"

Vlondril took this time to actually notice that the ground around them was covered up to about her knees with a blanket of white flakey ice crystals. And she finally let herself feel the cold. Susana saw her shiver and was looking at Johannes just wearing his old Army M1941 Field Jacket over one of his old Army wool shirts. He too looked to be getting cold. "Come on inside the house. We can get warmed up and Johannes you can tell more of what you experienced in the Under Hill Caverns," Susana said.

They went inside as Susana suggested and Vlondril began her life as a Kansas farmwife. She and Johannes had three sons and two daughters over the years. Their eldest daughter was born on Christmas Eve of 1962. By now Vlondril had become fluent in English and a good cook. She went to Johannes' church, a Lutheran congregation of the Christian faith; though she accepted Christ the son of the Creator as her savior she still danced under the light of Luna to honor Eilistraee. She taught what she knew of her faith to her children and her daughter Eluith'orth or Faith became her best student and the first Priestess of Eilistraee ordained on Earth.

Years passed, both of Vlondril and Johannes' eldest boys were drafted and went off the Vietnam to fight. One returned and another became commemorated on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. The family buried Georg Rudolph in the family cemetery up on the hill above the farmstead. Then a few years passed and the youngest boy Karl like his uncle Samuel before him disappeared in the Cave under the Hill. Karl was Faith's twin brother.

Faith enlisted at the age of seventeen with her dad and mother's consent into the Kansas Army National Guard. She became a member of the Military Police Company in Topeka. Over the years of the 1980s she went to university at Washburn earning a degree in Administration of Justice and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Kansas Army National Guard. At the time of the First Gulf War she was a Captain in command of a Transport Company which got called up to go to Saudi Arabia and eventually into Iraq.

Faith finally after serving three deployments to Iraq and two more to Afghanistan, retired from the Army Guard with the rank of Colonel. Now she stood on the deck of the cabin she built overlooking the cliff face below on the other side of Hunker Creek's valley. Her cabin was only fourteen feet wide by twenty feet long. She had a loft that was her bedroom and office and her downstairs was divided into a great room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. This was her place. Her family still lived in the old stone house Uran Georg built in the 1870s, but she lived up here. She never married; she had no children so she didn't need all the room the stone house offered.

With her was Air National Guard Colonel Paul David Baird. He was her lover and friend. He looked at Faith with concern upon seeing her intent look at the limestone cliff on the opposite hill. "What's on your mind Eluith'orth?" he asked using Faith's Drow name. He saw her stiffen at the use of her name in her mother's native language.

"I am thinking of going after Karl. I know he lives still. I don't know if I am going to save him or to live there with him. The Dark Maiden paid me a visit the other night when I danced to her honor," Faith said now trying to cuddle in closer to Paul as she looked down at the patch of darkness that led to the portal that allowed passage between Earth and Faerûn's Underdark. "She wants me to find Karl and return him to Earth. Then she said I must find Qilué Veladorn of the Promenade and help her. I told her I knew barely anything about the Underdark, Faerûn, or even Abeir-Toril. I said mostly what I knew came from the lessons of my mother Vlondril and from reading the Forgotten Realms books and playing in Ed Greenwood's Forgotten Realms setting for Dungeons and Dragons. I asked, 'How can I just go?'"

Paul held Faith tighter as she talked of her conversation with the ascended Drow who was the goddess of the moon, the hunt, patroness of the arts and crafts, and the only sign of light for Faith's mother's people. "Faith, have you talked about this with Vlondril, your mother?" Paul asked before saying, "You really should talk with her about this." Faith said that she knew that, but that she too was a Moon Dancer and a warrior.

Paul had started his Air Force or rather Air National Guard career in the Security Force Squadron of what was then the 184th Fighter Wing down in Wichita. Then he went to school in Lawrence at the University of Kansas earning a Juris Doctorate from Washburn and a commission in the Air National Guard. At first he led a flight in the 190th Air Refueling Wing's Security Squadron and then he took the course to become a Pararescue Jumper. For a time he was in the Active Air Force in a special operation that even today he didn't talk about unless he was with others who knew. Because of his association with that operation he missed out on the Second Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan. He had seen his share of war on far off worlds though. He couldn't tell Faith this, but he needed to call the General.


	2. Chapter 2

Ghost of the Underdark

By

D. L. Hemmingway

Note: Stargate: SG-1 and its spinoffs and characters are owned by Brad Wright and John Glassner. DnD, Neverwinter Nights 2 and Forgotten Realms and their characters are owned Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro though Ed Greenwood developed the Forgotten Realms game scenario and setting. I only own the characters of Tara Rahn, Nedylene Rahn, Faith Hunker, Karl Hunker, and Paul Baird. As this is an Alternate Universe to the main Stargate and main Forgotten Realms ones 2015 CE equals 1383 DR.

Chapter One

ORDER OF THE SILVER ROSE KEEP ALONG THE TRADE WAY

Order of the Silver Rose Keep near the Friendly Arm Inn along the Trade Way from Baldur's Gate to Amn was bathed in the light of the rising sun of Abeir-Toril. Tara Rahn Knight Warrant of the Order of the Silver Rose, Dawnsinger of Lathander and former Templar Guard of The Song of the Morning temple to Lathander in Beregost stood on the roof top deck bathing in the glory of the Dawn. She was singing praises to the Morning Lord. Next to her was her latest squire, Karl Hunker. He was a warrior of great strength and a recent convert to the Church of Lathander.

Tara finished her prayers and supplications to Lathander and turned to her squire saying, "Karl armor up and ready our horses. We patrol north into the High Moor and the Misty Forest. Pack for a week or two. We'll need some pack horses too."

"Yes milady," replied Karl. Then he turned to go back down into the keep. Tara in turn followed and went to the rooms she shared with Gina another of the order's Knights Warrant. Once there she took her armor from her armor rack. First she though she dug out her gambeson and leggings from her wardrobe. These she put on over her normal leggings and a simple tunic. Next she put on chain chausses and a haubergeon. Then she put on her articulated plate grieves to protect her calves, poleyns to protect her knees, tassets to protect her thighs, sollerets to guard the tops of her feet, her cuirass to protect her chest, belly and back, culets to defend the small of her back, faulds to protect her hips and waist. The process was laborious and her squire after putting on his Brigandine or coat of plates had come to help her armor up. Karl wore a coat of plates over a haubergeon which turn was over his gambeson for his armor.

An hour or so after they had their horses ready Tara led Karl out on to the Trade Way and north toward Baldur's Gate and beyond to the Misty Forest and the High Moor. They would pass through rough lands between the Keep and their destination, but that was the reason for them armoring up. This was a combat patrol of the Order of the Silver Rose. Tara was a knight and Karl her squire of the Order. It was the mission of the Order to protect the innocent along the Sword Coast as far north as Neverwinter where the order had another keep and its Faerûn headquarters. On her patrol Tara expected to deal with much evil and to rescue many travelers who came across the worst that Faerûn has to offer.

EARTH: HUNKER FARM: FAITH'S CABIN

"Excuse me Faith I need to make a call. Don't worry I will be right back, but this is important," Paul Baird said as he unwrapped himself from Faith and went back into her cabin. He took out his smart phone from the right side cargo pocket of his trousers. He accessed the contacts list and tapped the entry for a J. O'Neill. He waited as he listened to the line on the other end ring. He waited and upon hearing the man on the other side say, "Hello," he said, "General it's Colonel Paul Baird of SG-26. Um, Sir we need to talk. I may have stumbled into a possible foothold situation in the Flint Hills of Kansas." He was glad he hadn't put the phone on speaker mode. The General was cursing and swearing enough to make sailors blush. A woman's voice on the other end and in the background asked, "What is it Jack?"

Outside the cabin on her deck Faith watched Paul listening to whoever it was he called. Paul looked concerned when he turned and looked out the picture window at her. After several minutes he touched the screen and terminated the call. Paul had a strange look on his face now as he watched her from inside the cabin. He was even going for his carry piece as his eyes widened. Faith could only stare in wonder at his reactions. Then she felt the hand enclose over her mouth before she heard a rough male voice say, "Kitrye vlos vel'klar zhah dosst ilhar? Nindel uv'vi elg'caress uriu natha date xuil Lolth! (Half-blood where is your mother? That betraying bitch has a date with Lolth!)" Then she saw a blossom of flame and light as Paul discharged his Glock 21. The panes of glass shattered spraying shards and splinters in all directions outside of her cabin. She felt a hot pain in her shoulder as a bullet punched its way through her and into the man holding her. The hand fell away from her mouth. She fell to the decking of her deck. The pain began to burn where the bullet passed through her.

As she dropped she reached with her good hand up under her sweater and shirts to her bra and grabbed her Ruger LC-9 from the Flash-Bang holster she wore there. Ignoring the cutting and piercing pains as she rolled on to her back on the glass shard and splinter covered porch she took aim at her attacker. Pop! Pop! Pop! When her diminutive Ruger 9mm pistol. She put three shots right under the man's wishbone before she noticed she shot an honest to Eilistraee Drow. Using the momentum of her roll she got back to her feet. Her pistol was in her left hand as her right hung limply at her side. She walked over to the rail of her deck and held her pistol on the prone figure of the man who attacked her. She could see with her darkvision that he still breathed and she could hear his shallow breaths. He had one hole just over his right breast and three smaller ones in a group the size of an old Eisenhower Dollar just over his left. The red dot of her laser sight was on the man's forehead as he lay flat on his back staring back at her.

His eyes glowed bright red and seemed to look at her with a deep unquenchable hatred. "Ji dos takrome uns'aa xuil dosst lotha kyilen. Xun dos talinth nindel orn dormagyn dos? (So you shot me with your little darts. Do you think that will save you?)" He tried to get up and support himself on his arms and elbows, but the damage to his clavicle was too much and Faith could see his pain in his expressions.

Faith looked down at the man. He wore a finely crafted chain mess shirt over his woven silk tunic. The red of his blood stained each where he bled and a small pool was forming under him. It was obvious that at least her shots went through him. "Dos ssiggrin ulu jivviim ussta ilhar, jhal Usstan 'zil natha Drathir An'ar orn o'goth dosst hery sargtlin. (You thought to harm my mother, but I as a Moon Dancer will heal your wounds warrior,)" said Faith as she still held her pistol on the Drow warrior now on the ground below her deck. She walked carefully to the steps that led down to the ground. Once on the ground she put her pistol back into her hidden holster.

Faith without looking called up to the deck, "Paul keep him covered. I need to heal myself first before I heal him." Then she touched her left hand to the wound above her right breast. "Jallil T'puuli Lauske, Olath Wenress, qualla mend l'khel d'dos wanre Eluith'orth. (Lady Silver Hair, Dark Maiden, please mend the body of you servant Faith,)" said Faith as she walked over to the wounded House Baenre warrior. "Vel'uss ph'dos sargtlin? Vel'bol xun nind lar dos? (Who are you warrior? What do they call you?)" she asked before kneeling next to him. She touched her hands to his wounds kneeling above his head saying, "Olath Wenress, Jallil d'l'Alure, d'elezz nindol nesst z'hine l'oloth dosst ilhar nau'thalus udossta lodias wund uk zhah natha dalninuk, qualla o'goth ukta. (Dark Maiden, Lady of the Dance, though this man walks the darkness your mother led our people among he is a brother, please heal him.)" Like with her a blue glowing energy engulfed her and passed into the warrior who had yet named himself. His wounds knitted back and the misshaped bullet from Paul's gun popped out of the wound to his right shoulder.

"Sargtlin Usstan shlu'ta kyorl dal dosst kluchud'ssussunen nindel dos ph'd'Qu'ellar Baenre. Areion ussta ilhar Usstan tlun ichl. (Warrior I can see from your colors that you are of House Baenre. Through my mother I am too.)" After Faith said that she stood saying, "Nin nindel Usstan inbal o'gothus dos Usstan rytho'le biu an'yui. Vel'bolen Baenre ph'dos? (Now that I have healed you I deserve an answer. Which Baenre are you?)" As she spoke to the Drow several bright white lights surrounded her, but she ignored them. She was intent on hearing the answer the warrior had for her.

The white lights faded leaving behind a squad of soldiers or rather Marines. These Marines were in full combat gear and had their weapons pointed at both Faith and the man on the ground she was interrogating. Faith only glanced around before turning her attention back to the Drow male on the ground at her feet. Stepping back with her hands in the plain view of the Marines who just appeared in flashes of bright light she said to the warrior, "Jaluk Usstan aske'th politely whol dosst kaas; xun Usstan inbal ulu inbau hass'l lu'kl'ae fashka? (Male I asked politely for your name; do I have to get mean and use force?)"

She was holding her now healed hand close to another holster. This one was on her right hip and held a Smith and Wesson Military and Police 9. The S&amp;W M&amp;P 9 was the nine millimeter pistol in the Smith and Wesson Military and Police series of sidearms and rifles. She knew that she could scare this warrior into answering, but all she wanted now was his name. That was to find out which cousin he was and then she was going to ask just which aunt of her mother's sent him here to do that Yathrin's dirty work.

Guldorl Baenre looked up at the half-blood who now had stepped back closer to her summoned fighters. They each seemed to be armed with a larger version of the Jalil Kitrye-Vlos' dart pistol. These looked like crossbows without the prod or bow. They looked like smaller versions of those cursed Lantanese harquebuses. Only these were of much finer craftsmanship as far as he could see. It was the rapid movement of the vithing Kitrye-Vlos elg'caress that brought him out of his near state of reverie. In her right hand she now held a slightly larger one of the weapons she shot him with just a short time ago. Glaring at her his eyes still glowing with his hatred of her he spat out, "Usstan tlun ul'kas Guldorl d'Qu'ellar Baenre. Usstan tlun l'ust dalharuk d'l'Saroless Jabbuk. (I am called Guldorl of House Baenre. I am the first son of the Weapons Master.)"

Guldorl continued glaring up at her and then spat out more, "Vel'uss ph'dos ulu joros ulu zhaun ussta kaas kitrye-vlos elg'caress? (Who are you to ask to know my name half-blood bitch?)" Guldorl saw and heard Faith fall into a fit of deep laughter. Then she stopped looking down at him with blue glowing eyes and smiling.

"Usstan tlun Eluith'orth, dalharil d'Vlondril, dalharil d'Triel d'Qu'ellar Baenre jaluk! (I am Faith, daughter of Vlondril, daughter of Triel of House Baenre male!)" Faith belted out at him. "Ji ol zhah ussta hiak' taniel vel'uss shii's ussta ilhar elghinyrr! (So it is my grandmother who wants my mother dead!)" She raised her M&amp;P 9 menacingly at Guldorl smiling now like a predator. "So cousin Guldorl here has been sent by my mother's mother to kidnap my mother to be sacrificed to the Spider Queen," she yelled out so that she could be heard plainly by the recently arrived Marines and Paul who she saw was watching from the deck overhead. "Paul this is all the more reason why I need to go through the portal in the Cave of the Lost or the Cavern Under the Hill to find Karl."

"Xsa dos Guldorl, xsa dos lu'udossta Qu'ellar ulu l'Thal Uoi'notan! (Damn you Guldorl, damn you and our house to the Nine Hells!)," spat out Faith in anger at her cousin from her mother's side. "Nin Usstan inbal ulu alu ulu Faerûn ulu dormagyn Karl ussta saim'sib dalninuk wun quarth ulu ser ukta dal Triel's vi's! (Now I have to go to Faerun to save Karl my twin brother in order to keep him from Triel's grasp!)"

A Marine at a hand signal command came up and disarmed Faith and as gently as he could, walked her away from Guldorl saying, "Come Colonel you don't need to soil yourself with his blood. We'll take care of things from here on." Faith complied as the Marine took her pistol and tucked into his belt. She looked on as two more Marines took charge of her cousin, disarmed him and secured him. Then everyone was engulfed in a bright flash of light.

The light faded and Faith saw herself, Paul, the Marines and Guldorl on the Bridge of a ship. A taller blond woman with Brigadier General's stars on her shoulders turned and smiled. The blond haired blued woman said, "I'm General Samantha Carter – O'Neill commanding officer of the Second Space Wing and welcome aboard the USS General George S. Hammond." Brig Gen Carter – O'Neill turned slightly to look at someone to their right rear. "General do you want them in the Ready Room or the Mess Hall?"

Gen. Jonathan "Jack" O'Neill USAF (Retired) Director of Homeworld Security looked on at Colonel Paul David Baird USAF, Colonel Faith Odiane Hunker United States Army (Retired), Guldorl Baenre, the other members of SG-26 and the Marines of SG-3. "Take the Drow male to the Brig until later. I want Colonels Baird and Hunker in the Ready Room and SGs Twenty Six and Three can go get a meal or take a break." That said he turned to the USAF Security Force troops assigned to the Hammond signaling them to take Guldorl to the Brig.

Jack then turned to Cols Baird and Hunker. "You two come with me. Sam we're borrowing your office. I want you in there too. Put Marks in charge for the time being." He looked at COL Hunker noting her dusky blondish brown hair, her cool icy blue eyes, dusky tanned olive complexion. "So you are an Elf Colonel?" he asked.

"Only on my mother's side General. My father is as human as you or anyone else born on Earth, well except me and my brothers," replied Faith as they walked out of the Bridge and down the corridor to a door that said Commander's Ready Room. "We never played up my being not fully human. My ears aren't so pointy as to let others think otherwise either. Though when I dressed up as a Vulcan for a few Halloweens I didn't have to do much to make it look right."

Jack laughed at Faith's sense of humor. "So the guy in the brig related to you?"

Faith looked a little ashamed, but said, "Yes, he is a cousin. One I never met before today mind you. He's related to my mother. You see my mother was the youngest daughter of a very powerful noble family where she came from. It seems her mother found out about her true religious beliefs and decided that mom would be a good sacrifice to the Drow goddess Lolth. Mom took that opportunity to run away. I guess mom's family found a way to activate the portal from their side. Guldorl is a warrior in the household guard."

They entered the Ready Room and Jack gestured for them to take seats in the two chairs facing the desk. "Ok so what was your mother's name?" Jack asked as they took their seats. He then took the chair behind the desk waiting for Faith to answer.

"Mom's name is Vlondril Baenre. She is of the Ilythiiri branch of the Ssri-Tel-Quessir or Dark Elves. That means I am half Ilythiiri and if the legends are true I am partially demon too." Faith saw the General take that in and store it away somewhere in his mind.

"Part demon, what do you mean?" Jack asked looking at Faith.

"Mom, who by the way was always curious, looked into the true history of her family and people. She found out that House Baenre which in Drow means Blessed by Fell Powers and can also be spelled Baenrae was indeed blessed as they saw it by fell powers. The fell powers were demonic allies of Lolth. During the Crown Wars, not sure which one as mom wasn't too clear either the Ilythiiri nobles who followed Lolth bred with demons so as to create powerful monstrous warriors to battle their enemies. Some of these part demons weren't so monstrous in appearance and later bred with more of the Drow. Eventually every noble house of Drow at least of the Ilythiiri Tribe came to have demonic blood lines intermixed with their elven blood."

Jack soaked that in and then looked at Col Baird, "Did you know any of this Paul?"

"No sir, I knew that Faith was different and that it was possible that she was part alien. I didn't know that she knew more about the Forgotten Realms game world than what Ed Greenwood and others let the players know. I even played that DnD campaign setting in college and even the Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights 2 campaigns. I just thought they were all figments of Ed Greenwood's imagination and those of other game designers and the authors of the books or novels that related to the storyline," Col. Baird said now looking at Faith in a new light.

QU'ELLAR BAENRE THRONE ROOM

Triel Baenre looked from her throne into the scrying bowl that she had set up for her to watch Guldorl's progress and success. She was shocked that these Rivvin and the Kitrye Vlos could respond so rapidly. Now she saw they were in a skyship over the world where Vlondril escaped too. "So daughter you escape me once more and your child defended you. I know where you are and I can send more to get you. It is your half-blood abomination I am interested in more now," Triel said looking on as she watched and heard Faith or as Triel began calling her Umrae which also means Faith in Drow. "I will have to visit you little Umrae and see if your Drow side is worthy of the name Baenre. Umrae Baenre you will be my guardian when I get you whether you wish it or not. You will even find my niece Liriel for the house where that dolt Shakti Hunzrin failed me. I can sense you are a warrior and a priestess of that twit daughter of Lolth's Eilistraee. You will serve the House as my guard and assassin and later as our sacrifice along with your mother to redeem the house in Lolth's eyes." Triel then used her magics to transfer the scrying spell from the bowl to a pool in the floor of the throne room. She got up from her throne and walked over to the pool. The image still showed her Umrae or Faith as she was called by the younger Rivvil Jaluk.

Umrae was looking at an older more distinguished looking Rivvil Jaluk and her deference to the human male was that of a subordinate. Triel looked waved her hand and one of her retinue of female guards came forward. Triel without turning to see who it was said, "Get me my brother, Gromph! Escort him here! I need to visit this place my granddaughter is at. I need to see just what she is and if we can use her. I need to rid our house of her taint personally."

Minutes later while Triel continued to watch and listen in on the events of Umrae's visit to this remarkable skyship the guard she sent to get her brother returned with Gromph. Triel did not take her eyes from the pool as she listened to the briefing on this Stargate that Umrae was receiving after having signed some papers. Triel was intrigued by this portal that took people to different worlds on the Prime Material Plane. "Gromph, could you get me and some of my retainers there?" Triel asked knowing that the Archmage could indeed to what she asked as he was a master of portal magic.

Gromph studied the image in the pool as he crafted the spell that would do as Triel asked. "Of course sister I can, but what do I get in return? My daughter Liriel is still on the surface far from our control and she is better at portal magic than I. She is one of Mystra's Chosen now from reports I receive. She like Vlondril has given me a half-blood grandchild as well. I follow the life of Yaldra from afar, but still I can send you to see your granddaughter where she's at. What is she called?" He never took his eyes from Faith as he observed her and her surroundings and listened on the tale she told of the Cave of the Lost or the Cave under the Hill as she called the location of a portal connected to the Underdark of Faerûn. "We must gain control of this farm of her father's Triel as well as Umrae. This portal this Cave of the Lost protects could be a trade route or an invasion route either way it is a danger to us."

Quenthel Baenre had overheard all as she had walked into the Throne Room unannounced. She had her own retinue of guards and warriors behind her. Today was going to be the end of Triel's reign and the beginning of hers. She had not signaled for her guards to make a move yet as she was intrigued by the goings on of her sister and brother. She watched as at Triel's order Gromph cast the portal spell that connected the throne room to wherever it was Triel was scrying.

COMMANDER'S READY ROOM USS GENERAL GEORGE S HAMMOND

Gen. O'Neill had just given reactivated COL Faith Hunker the Stargate Briefing and she was just finishing her debriefing on the events of this day and the history of her family's relationship with a potential stargate buried in a cave in Kansas' Flint Hills. As he was about to ask questions a sphere of light appeared in the back of the room and he swore he saw two dark really black colored people much like someone he met and knew from a mission to the world Faith talked about. Only these two were shorter than the woman SG-1 brought back with them from Toril. In fact these two, a man and a woman looked to be people of station and power.

Before anyone in the Ready Room could react the woman began to step through and behind her chaos broke out and the man made a quick exit into the Ready Room too. The portal that opened up into the Ready Room closed nearly as soon as the dark elven man walked through it. The Marines and USAF Security Force troops guarding the ready room came in upon the silent request of Gen. O'Neill. Faith Hunker and Paul Baird got up and went to the General's side of the desk each drawing their sidearm and aiming them at the intruders.

Triel looked at Umrae seeing her daughter Vlondril in her face. She also raised her hand and spoke a prayer to Lolth before saying anything to those present. Once she was through she spoke, "I am Triel Ilharess d'l'Qu'ellar Baenre. I have come to talk with my granddaughter though she may want to lower her weapon first. I have no knowledge of what just happened in my throne room. Gromph here was just to open the portal for me to come through to talk with you Umrae."

Faith looked at the Drow female. Besides her ornate robes and headdress the woman had on her hip the signature snake headed cat of nine that was the badge of station for priestesses of Lolth. Her eyes were crimson as the males were amber. Faith decided to talk before anyone else in the Tau'ri party. "I am Faith Hunker daughter of Vlondril Baenre what business has my grandmother with me? I am a half-blood who in traditional Drow society is less than a male of pure blood."

Triel nodded saying, "True, but Vlondril was and is the daughter of a noble of our race thus raising your station to that of just below an average male of my court. You are my granddaughter and if my children have been purged by my sister just now you and your mother are my only heirs." The Triel walked forward to Faith and then around her as if inspecting her with her eyes scanning Faith from head to toe.

"Again I ask you why you came here grandmother." Faith spoke as the older Drow woman looked her over. Faith suddenly felt as if she was being inspected like a slave in an old slave market or a livestock animal at an auction back in Strong City or Emporia. It was an unnerving feeling to be sure.

Triel looked at the others still holding her weapons on her as she inspected her granddaughter. "Rivvin, I am the head of my House. If I wanted Umrae or Faith as you call her dead, I would have done it without even leaving House Baenre or even Menzoberranzan. Also I could have killed her as I came through the portal. I am that powerful." She then cast a glance at Gromph saying, "My brother, Gromph here is just as powerful and we are or rather were the primary powers in the great holy city of Lolth."

Gen. O'Neill looked from Triel to Gromph and said, "Well from what I could see of what was going on behind you, you all just escaped a palace coup. Now we'll lower our weapons and take this family reunion to a roomier location." He looked at Paul and Faith saying, "The Mess Hall then, a family reunion deserves cake I think. Sam's Mess Section makes great cake."

HOUSE BAENRE THRONE ROOM MENZOBERRANZAN

Quenthel Baenre sat in what was once her sister's throne. She was amazed at the ease of her ascension to become the Ilharess of House Baenre. She had expected more resistances from Triel. Yet it seemed her elder sister had her interest elsewhere instead of here and now. She looked at her sister Sos'Umptu, "Sos how is our sister Triel doing where she ran off to?"

Sos'Umptu, keeper of the House Baenre Temple to Lolth looked into the scrying pool which still was showing what was going on around a half-blood who resembled her renegade niece Vlondril. "She is with the half-blood on a skyship over a distant world from here. The half-blood is her granddaughter through Vlondril it seems. Vlondril still lives and is residing in a stone farm house on the surface of a planet called Earth. Your son Guldorl was captured trying to bring Vlondril back. It seems he is being held in a dungeon on the skyship."

Quenthel cursed out loud then stood up and walked over to the scrying pool to see for herself. She saw at this point her sister, brother, and the half-blood niece looking at Guldorl in his cell. With them was party of Rivvin in uniforms some where the color of the desert and others were more like the stonework of cities in coloration. Then the eldest man present wore a uniform in a blue shade. As she watched a woman wearing a green one piece uniform came in. Where the man in blue had four star shaped silver pins on his shoulders this woman had just a single star on each of her shoulders, Quenthel decided that these pins must be badges of rank.

"Fetch me Noori! I need a Faern I can trust!" Quenthel cried out as she watched her sister and great niece continue their tour of the skyship.


	3. Chapter 3

Ghost of the Underdark

Chapter Two

NETHER MOUNTAINS, SILVER MARCHES, FAERÛN

Nedylene had over the last few years looked after the people of Nec'Perya d'l'Drathir or Sanctuary of the Moon in their fortress like ancient volcano. The mountain had been their home since their ancestors were forced from Miyeritar during the Crown Wars. Nedylene had been offered ascension by Corellon for accepting to be Eilistraee's avatar during her battle with The Lady Penitent, but she felt her place was with her people, not the gods.

Nedylene Rahn was now both the Ilharess d'l'Qu'ellar Rahn or the Matron Mother of the House of Rahn and the Argent Maid of Nec'Perya. The last and oldest of the noble houses devoted to Eilistraee rather than Lolth House Rahn had been the keepers of the archives of Miyeritar. Most other petitioners and worshipers of the Lady of the Dance were houseless, were exiles from noble houses or came from commoner houses. Nedylene was also since the passing of her mother Illiamdriira whose name meant Devoted Mother was the Argent Maid or High Priestess of Sanctuary as the people of the Moonshard called it for short. It was Corellon who told her that Illiamdriira was one of his mortal lovers and that she Nedylene was his child.

Nedylene even all these years later after taking the former Halisstra Melarn's head and recovering the Crescent Sword in a fight that had Qilué Veladorn said yes to Eilistraee would have claimed both the Goddess and one of Nedylene's most trusted friends saw the dangers of what could have been. Nedylene besides being a High Priestess of Eilistraee was a professional soldier and led the largest contingent of Darksong Knights outside of the Promenade. As one of Eilistraee's Chosen and Divine Champions, Nedylene was better suited to battle The Lady Penitent too. The battle or rather duel in Flamerule of 1379 saw her pouring her all into the fight. Halisstra even in her new demonic form saw as the dance of parries, thrusts, and dodges went on longer than she had planned that Nedylene was her better as a warrior.

Nedylene's Bastard Sword L'Olath Wenress' Alure or The Dark Maiden's Dance was enchanted to do extra damage to creatures of evil, deal out flaming damage, and was devoted to slaying chaotic creatures like demons. It also was made of lightweight and extremely strong mithril. When Nedylene feinted and Halisstra fell for it Nedylene's riposte severed the Lady Penitent's weapon hand and Nedylene's Dance's backswing took her head. The duel ended with the demon's body returning to the Abyss and Lolth's angered yell of frustration at being defeated. Eilistraee's and Lolth long game of Sava or Drow Chess was finally over. Eilistraee played a piece she never played before because her father had warned her that Nedylene was never to be sacrificed to the Spider Queen's hatred and lust for death.

Until the time of the duel approached Corellon just told her to keep Nedylene's figurine safe. Then the Elf Father blessed it. Eilistraee told Nedylene this the day of the duel with the Lady Penitent. And Nedylene agreed to be Eilistraee's avatar that day. Not because she knew she could take the Lady Penitent without the goddess, but because to Nedylene serving the goddess thusly was a great honor and she thought more of Lady Silverhair after the deity fessed up about why it seemed that no House of Lolth could ever defeat her. The Qu'ellar Dev'lin even after all these years still tried to defeat Nedylene's Legion as the Army of Nec'Perya was often called when it marched forth to aid the Lords' Alliance or other allies. The caverns and tunnels of the Upperdark near Nec'Perya were littered with the bones of fallen Dev'lin warriors and priestesses.

Now the First House of the Deep Underdark city of Menzoberranzan was knocking at the lower gates of Nec'Perya and Nedylene was leading the defense. It seemed there had been a coup and the old Matron of Baenre was missing. The new one, the sister of the former Ilharess wanted to redeem her house by attacking what many before found out was not so weak a house after all.

QU'ELLAR BAENRE, MENZOBERRANZAN, DEEP UNDERDARK FAERÛN

Quenthel Baenre looked on at the scrying pool as her sister was still on the skyship. She was watching knowing that her sister and brother were now in exile far from her. As she watched her Weapon's Master, Andzrel Baenre approached along with the female Faern or wizard Noori Baenre whom she also had summoned. "Andzrel, what news do you have on the attack I ordered on that Miyeritari elg'caress Nedylene Rahn's hive of heretics?" asked Quenthel without looking up from watching her sister suffer the indignation of having to accept the hospitality of humans.

"Jabbress, Ilharess Baenre, the attack is stalled. The Blue Lady's army resists us. It is as if she has the blessings of the Seldarine and Lady Silver Hair. Even the minions who her majesty Lolth sent have not been able to crack their defenses," said Andzrel as he bowed low before the leader of his house. Quenthel looked at him nodding and gripping the handle of her cat of nine ever tighter in her frustration. If she were to subdue the last known house of heretics; she would raise her house's standing with Lolth. Yet she saw through this vision from the scrying pool that even Baenre had a branch of Dark Maiden worshippers.

"Andzrel do what you must to crack their defenses. I want Nedylene brought to me in chains. I don't care if her and her people now resemble our ancestors. They are still Ssri-Tel-Quessir and subject to the rule and dominion of our Queen. And if the curse has been lifted from her and the others who followed Lady Silver Hair then all the more reason to destroy them," Quenthel said as she looked from Andzrel back to the scene playing out in the scrying pool. Then without looking up from that which she observed Quenthel said, "Noori when they move from this skyship back to where our niece Faith or Umrae lives I want you to work on creating a portal directly from here to there. We will end this now and I will have power over the Drow of Toril and of Earth for the name and glory of the Spider Queen." Noori nodded and continued to watch what her Matron observed.

"A dosst quarth ussta Ilharess. (By your command my Matron,)" Noori said as she formulated the needed spell to transport Quenthel's armies to the location demanded. She watched and watched. What she saw intrigued her as she viewed the Rivvin of this other world and their greatly advanced weaponry and skills. "You're armies may find it hard to win there Matron as these humans seem to be better skilled at war than those we know from the surface here." Noori watched them as the three Drow and their half-blood relative were taking to a place and teleported from the skyship to someplace underground or perhaps even a city, a great and ancient city.

ATLANTIS GATEROOM

Triel Baenre looked around seeing a new place come to be around her as the blinding bluish white light that engulfed her, Gromph, Guldorl and Umrae faded. Each of the Drow and their half-Drow cousin, granddaughter and niece looked around in awe. The place was obviously old, but it was also very magnificent. As they gaped at what they saw a balding bespectacled man wearing some sort of uniform walked up to them. Behind him were three men and two women.

The man spoke with authority and welcome, "Welcome to Atlantis capital of the Tau'ri Confederation. I am Richard Woolsey Chief Administrator of Atlantis. These are Colonel John Sheppard, Doctors Rodney McKay and Jennifer Keller, Ms. Teyla Emmagan of the Athosians, and Ronan Dex of the Satedans."

Triel Baenre looked at Mr. Woolsey and then from one to the other of those introduced. The Athosian carried herself like a Matron and the Satedan and Colonel Sheppard had the looks of Weapons Masters. The two Doctors as Administrator Woolsey called them looked like advisors of some kind. The male, Rodney McKay looked like he was someone like Gromph and the female Jennifer Keller was a healer. "I am Triel Baenre until recently the Matron Mother of House Baenre," said Triel as she looked at the man who held authority here.

It surprised her and Gromph that the humans seemed to understand her Drow without a translation spell like Comprehend Languages being cast. Triel asked, "How is it that you understand what I say?" She looked from one human to the next waiting for one of them to answer.

Faith caught on right away, "Hiak' taniel nind inbal fol technical mii'n d'transilitin Ilythiiri wund English. (Grandmother they have some technical means of translating Drow into English,)" she said looking at the man called Doctor McKay. She had used English words when she could not find the right Drow ones, but it seemed that the device translated what she said so that everyone could hear her words.

"Very astute of you," Rodney began to say, "and who are you ma'am?

"Faith Hunker a. k. a. Umrae Baenre, I am an American Army Colonel and a native of Chase County in Kansas. I live on a farm or rather ranch near Cottonwood Falls the County Seat," said Faith as she looked at Rodney.

"Well, um yes Colonel Hunker you are correct there is a language translator within the communications matrix of Atlantis. It seems Ilythiiri or Drow is in the matrix's language database. Though many of us thought that language was just the creation of the players of the Dungeon and Dragons roleplaying game and its computer spinoffs," Rodney said.

"Obviously Rodney someone here on Earth had some insight in to that language and the people who spoke it," said Col John Sheppard as he stepped forward to COL Hunker. "Colonel John Sheppard, United States Air Force, Colonel Hunker nice to make your acquaintance." He saw a disquieting look from the human who was present with the three Drow and the Half-Drow American. Colonel Baird had heard of Col Sheppard's reputation from others in the ranks of the Air Force and of Stargate Command. Sheppard seeing this look left his greeting at being professional and between fellow servicemen and officers.

"Yes, I know Ed Greenwood and always thought his stories were just objects of his imagination. I think I am going to have to talk with him one of these days. Too bad Gary Gygax passed away in two thousand eight," Rodney said with some lament in the tone of his last sentence. "I once played in a championship game scenario before being assigned to the Atlantis Expedition. It was at a Role-Playing convention a few years before and both Gygax and Greenwood were present."

Triel looked a little puzzled and confused for a moment when Faith spoke up, "Yes, Doctor McKay, but grandmother and I are proof that some of Mister Greenwood's work was based on real people and events. I've read the novels, especially the War of the Spider Queen series, the Lady Penitent series, and the series that covered the life of my cousin Liriel, Starlight and Shadows I believe the books were called."

Gromph looked at Umrae after she mentioned his lost daughter Liriel, "What do you know of Liriel, Umrae?" He didn't wait for Triel to give him leave to speak. If there was one person he truly loved in all of creation it was Liriel his own flesh and blood now estranged from him all these years. Gromph wanted to know what Umrae knew of Liriel.

"Uncle Gromph I can loan you my copies of the books or perhaps better if the language matrix of this city can translate them we can then get you Drow copies of them. Know that even on Faerûn these stories are all history now. Here they are looked at as works of heroic fantasy fiction," Faith said looking at her uncle with a stern look that said "Don't think about striking at me for telling you what I know."

As the greeting party and the party of Drow and human escorts stood there in the central square of the Gate Room the gate activated and a group of four humans walked out of what to Triel looked like a vertical body of water. Their leader a woman led them past the group of humans, half-Drow, and Drow. As the red haired woman walked past them Triel noticed that she took an interest in their party.

"Excuse me Mister Woolsey are these three," pointing to Triel, Gromph and Guldorl, "Drow?" asked the woman as she stopped in front of Mr. Woolsey. Triel thought the human woman was taking an unusual interest in her and the males and female half-Drow of her family.

Mr. Woolsey nodded and said, "Yes Colonel Rosenberg and the mixed race woman is Colonel Faith Hunker from Kansas." He gestured using his open hand from Triel, Gromph, Guldorl and Faith saying, "This woman is her maternal grandmother Triel of House Baenre. The men are her uncle Gromph Baenre and a cousin, Guldorl Baenre."

Col. Rosenberg nodded and said looking at the woman and the men with them, "Usstan tlun Colonel Fattipuss Rosenberg d'l'United Fhuinne Aeros Fashka lu'sut'rinos d'udossta contact basilia ul'kas SG Uss. (I am Colonel Willow Rosenberg of the United States Air Force and commander of our contact team called SG One.)"

Triel listened and smiled as the woman spoke Drow with some of the words of her native tongue mixed in where there was not a similar word in the Drow language. Then she spoke, "Usstan tlun Triel d'l'Qu'ellar Baenre, Ilharess d'Qu'ellar Baenre d'elezz wanune phorluthk a ussta dalninil Quenthel vel'uss zhah l'obok yathrin d'Lolth wun udossta che'el d'Menzoberranzan. Nindol zhah ussta dalninuk Gromph lu'natha ilaovuk Guldorl. (I am Triel of the House Baenre, Matron of House Baenre though recently deposed by my sister Quenthel who is the high priestess of Lolth in our city of Menzoberranzan. This is my brother Gromph and a nephew Guldorl.)"

COL Hunker then spoke, "Hiak' taniel Triel hojj ulu tesso dos nindel Usstan tlun ilta autna Eluith'orth. Usstan tlun kitrye ilythiiri nindel zhah ele Usstan lor saph Usstan inbal natha permanent dusky sssiks tan. (Grandmother Triel fails to tell you that I am her granddaughter Faith. I am halfdrow that is why I look like I have a permanent dusky sun tan.)" Then she noticed that Col Rosenberg smiled as she nodded. "My name is Eluith'orth and Umrae in the Drow language and both mean Faith."

The full blood Drow looked at the human female who spoke fluent Drow except where there existed no similar word. This Colonel Rosenberg seemed to know the Drow dialect of Elvish. "Pardon me Mistress Rosenberg, but where did you learn even your mastery of the Drow language?" asked Gromph. That was when one of the team with Col Rosenberg lowered a piece of cloth she had been using as a filter for the air she breathed. This woman was the outcast Cierre.

"Usstan keer ilta. Il screus ulu telanth Ilythiiri dal uns'aa, (I taught her. She learned to speak Drow from me,)" said Cierre as she looked at one of the women who once frightened her immensely. Now Triel Baenre didn't look so imposing as back then. Then again Cierre had been away from Menzoberranzan and Faerûn let along Toril for a long time now.

Triel nodded accepting the outcast's explanation. "Dos inbal xunor natha bwael emp'poss Cierre, natha ves bwael emp'poss. Nin, lu'oh inbal dos doer ulu tlu ghil? (You have done a good job Cierre, a very good job. Now, how have you come to be here?)"

"Mzil drasven ish'o Usstan xxizz'a helothannen dal Har'dro ulu ssuth l'vigh kl'ast lu'm'elzar Maugrim lu'yutsu delmah. (Many years ago I helped travelers from Earth to escape the mad cleric and mage Maugrim and return home,)" Cierre began. She said following up, "Vel'drav Senger Nasher d'Neverwinter telanthus nindel Usstan orn'la inbal ulu yaith whol ussta aglust wun vel'bol uri'shoelt ulu l'Sea'an d'Neverwinter Usstan zhahus aesus ulu Har'dro. (When Lord Nasher of Neverwinter said that I would have to pay for my part in what happened to the Hero of Neverwinter I was exiled to Earth.)"

Relying now on the translator matrix Col Rosenberg said, "Cierre has been an asset to the United States of America and Earth. She is now a naturalized citizen of the U.S. and an officer in her Air Force. She holds the rank of Captain and is my Tactical and Reconnaissance Specialist." Triel nodded understanding the translation given by Atlantis' communications system. "Cierre and a few other Drow who've come to Earth one way or another have become productive citizens of the United States or the nations they live in. Olath Darthien have returned to Earth and now walk its soil for the first time in nearly one thousand years. Since we have no Underdark here of any size they live among the human populations."

Gromph again not waiting for his sister to grant him permission to speak said, "This world has not Underdark? How is that so?" He was genuinely curious and found this information intriguing. "Where do the Drow who've migrated here live then?

Cierre answered him saying, "Jabbruk Gromph the Drow of Earth have mostly adapted to living on the surface and live in either cities or small towns or on their own farms depending on where they feel the most comfortable. The few followers of the Dark Maiden mostly live on farms and in or near smaller towns or cities. The followers of the Mask that Waits gravitate to the world's metropolises. There are very few who worship the Spider Queen and they too mostly live in the larger cities with the more violent of their faith living in the undergrounds of these communities."

"Yet you've said this world has not Underdark; how is it then that Lolth's followers here find a place to live underground?" Gromph asked. He was hoping to find out if Cierre was deceiving them about Earth not having an Underdark. He was watching her face for the minute tells which would give away that she lied. He noticed that she was not giving any of the standard little signs like looking to the left when thinking. This was a sign that one was creating or making up a story. When if one looked to the right while thinking one was trying to recall what they knew.

"Jabbruk Gromph, don't get me wrong here. Earth may not have an elaborate system of tunnels and caves interconnecting under her continents and islands crossing her tectonic plates. Earth does have many natural and manmade cavern systems in what we would call the Upperdark. The natural ones were carved out by water such as underground rivers or by rivers of molten rock such as lava tubes. Many of the manmade ones are mines, but most are the labyrinths of sewers, maintenance tunnels, catacombs, and subway railroads many of Earth's most developed cities have. None of these are deeper than a mile underground and very few of them interconnect. Some of the cave and cavern systems do run for miles, but not to the extent they do on Abeir-Toril," Cierre said offering the wizard some education.

Mr. Woolsey then looked at Triel, Gromph, and Guldorl and said, "I know from debriefings of Cierre and others about the culture you have been forced to abandon. I know that in your old world life was cheap and it was common practice to befriend and later betray that friendship. I just want you to know that you have by happenstance been granted a second chance to become more than you were there. When followers of your faith cross certain boundaries here there are consequences that occur. Should you practice your faith as it is in Menzoberranzan you may find yourselves guests of either the Federal Department of Corrections or the Department of Corrects of whatever state we resettle you in."


	4. Chapter 4

Ghost of the Underdark

Chapter Two

HIGH MOOR

Squire Karl Hunker watched around the rolling desolate hills of the moor as he and his night Tara Rahn rode on their patrol. The High Moor was a wasteland compared to the Kansas Flint Hills. He had grown up there, but had as a young teenager tried to explore how deep the Cave of the Lost on his Opa's ranch went. His brother had been with him along with his sister, his twin, his Zwillingsschwester Faith. They had gone as deep as one could and saw a shimmering pool like circle in the stones and what looked like more cave beyond.

His curiosity got the better of Karl and he touched the wall like pool. Next he found himself in the other cave in the blink of an eye. He looked behind him and saw both his sister Faith and their brother looking at him. They were gesturing for him to comeback, but as he turned to do so the pool like window in the cave wall closed.

That was years ago now. It took Karl months to find the surface and weeks to find civilization. By that time he had run out of cartridges for his Marlin 94 in .357 Magnum and likewise for his Ruger Blackhawk. Both had been gifts from his father. The knife he carried was a gift from his mother. It was dear to him. She told him that the knife she crafted herself from an old car leaf spring along with the matched pair of short swords he had over his shoulder in back hanger baldrics now were enchanted by her for his protection. Both the swords and the knife went with him when he explored wild areas on the ranch, especially the Cave of the Lost.

It was the knife and the short swords Karl's mother gave or rather made him that kept him alive down there in the caverns and tunnels this world called the Underdark. Also his ability to see in near total darkness helped too. His dusky skin and light blond hair were attributed to his life outdoors at his family's ranch and his being part German and perhaps part African American. No one back on Earth ever thought it was because his mother was an honest to God Drow.

Even when Karl played Dungeons and Dragons growing up he never let on he know more about Faerûn than even Ed Greenwood did. His mother taught her children about the world she came from, or at least the Underdark. He was lucky he found a caravan of Drow traders going to Skullport. He joined up as an apprentice guard after proving his sword skills.

That journey was Karl's right of manhood and the owner of the caravan was a Drow male named Altondorl Aleant'tar. Jabbuk Altondorl had seen that Karl was truthfully a half-blood, but he also saw in him a strong warrior. Karl stayed with Jabbuk Altondorl for seven trips between Rilauven and Skullport. Later after the last trip Karl found a way up to the streets of Waterdeep.

Where the streets of Skullport kind of reminded him of the area around Troost in Kansas City, Missouri or Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, Waterdeep reminded him of the areas Wichita, Kansas. The only difference was the complete lack of "modern" technology. The people of Faerûn and for that matter Abeir-Toril lived life not that different than those of Medieval Europe or China.

When he disappeared from Earth he was one of the first people in his part of Kansas to get an Atari, but for the most part he knew how to fish, hunt, and to ride. Like the cowboys of the nineteenth century he could rope, brand, and do most any ranch chores common to that time. From his mom he learned to use his twenty six inch blade short swords in a pair dual wielding and to use one in concert with his knife which was really a seventeen inch long dual edged dagger similar to an Arkansas Toothpick.

The twin set of blades he carried even now had saved his life many times over. Lady Tara Rahn his Knight was teaching him to wield his short sword with the bastard sword the smith at the Tunderhammer Smithy had made to her specifications. It was light and easy to maneuver. He had already mastered using it two handed in all moves both offensive and defensive. Now he was using it one handed with one of his short swords or his dagger in the off-hand. Lady Tara was even teaching him to use it or one of his swords with a heavy shield. His shield carried the crest of the Order of the Silver Rose for now, but Lady Tara said that once he was knighted his personal device could adorn his shield's face. Thinking it over he wondered if he would use the Coat of Arms of the German house of Hunker or that of the Drow house of Baenre or a combination of them like the English did when two noble houses combined.

"Karl what are you thinking of?" Lady Tara Rahn asked as she walked up after he had finished building a small, but warm campfire. She noticed he cared for their horses as well like he had done so all his life despite his tales of his life before coming to Toril and Faerûn. To think he learned to drive a horseless farm wagon called a pickup truck while she learned to ride, swing swords, manage a manor and house and the prayers of Lathander before she left Beregost at twenty. Then she remembered him telling her that his father had a manor, no a ranch Karl called it that rivaled her family's holdings between Gullykin and Beregost.

Kansas, Karl had said was similar to the area around Beregost, but thousands of miles inland from the nearest sea coast. "Where I lived we have wooded valleys, rolling hills and high prairies. The cattle fed in the pastures up in the hills and we farm wheat, corn and milo in the bottom lands of the Cottonwood River. I used to hunt deer, pheasant and quail depending on the season," Karl had said once while reminiscing over a similar fire as the one he built tonight. "I learned to use a bow, my swords and dagger from my mother and to use the guns I keep in my wardrobe back at the Keep of the Silver Rose from my father."

Lady Tara said, "I have a Drow step niece named Nedylene. She is a high priestess of the goddess Eilistraee. It is said by the Drow of the Promenade that Nedylene saved Eilistraee's life during the War of the Spider Queen when the Lady Penitent came to claim it. I have not asked Nedylene this yet. She lives far to the north in the Nether Mountains north and east of Silverymoon on the north edge of the Silver Marches," once several days ago over another similar campfire. She smiled at Karl as he listened enraptured by her tales she told that night. He asked about the gods and goddesses of Faerûn and the peoples of the land both on the surface and what she knew of those below.

They were closing upon the end of their journey and the beginning of their quest. Tara looked at Karl closely for a man nearly as old as she was he looked almost half her age. She knew that was because like even the half-human children of surface elves Karl had a longer natural lifespan that hers. She was middle aged now in her fifties and yet he still looked like a man of his late twenties and no more than his early thirties. This was despite the hard days of work he put in every ten day. He looked handsome and rugged. He had added muscle tone since he came to the Forgotten Realms as he called them.

'If I was but in my thirties,' Tara thought looking at the man who was her latest Squire, 'I would be tempted to wed him and take him to my bed. He and I would breed a race of warriors as such neither Toril or his Earth would never know.' Sadly she slightly frowned as she watched him work readying their evening camp Tara was physically old enough to be Karl's mother despite them both being in their fifties. Besides her healing priest at the Song of Morning Temple in Beregost told her she was past the age of bearing children now. Only Lathander and his allies could grant her such a gift now.

Karl made them dinner of a couple of rabbits he took with his sling that he took along for hunting small game on their patrols. He also had gathered up some wild herbs and onions to flavor the stew he made with the rabbits and some dried vegetables from the market outside of Baldur's Gate. Then he looked at Lady Tara, "My lady you rest I will take the first and the last watch this eve. I will wake you when I tire."

After their meal Lady Tara got out her bedroll and after removing the mail shirt she wore on such patrols instead of her battle armor she wore when the Order of the Silver Rose was on the march crawled into it and went to sleep. Karl in the meantime strung the bow that the bowyer – fletcher of the Order made him and donned his hip quiver. He wore a mail shirt made for him by an Elven armor smith that had finer links than those produced at Thunder Hammer and it was enchanted.

With his chain shirt on due to its enchantments Karl was as well protected as if he wore a suit of plates or even better a suit of full plate. On his weapons belt besides his quiver he had his dagger and both of his swords these days. He had his bastardsword in a back hangar baldric so he could draw it with his right hand. His dagger was at his back nowadays in a manner to be drawn with either his left or by reaching around with his right. One sword rested on his right hip and the other on his left. He had an arrow knocked in his bow as he walked a small perimeter around their camp.

HUNKER RANCH CHASE COUNTY, KANSAS

Triel Baenre looked out of the Air Force staff car's rear window as it pulled up to the aged buff tanned limestone house her granddaughter Faith had grown up in. It was decided by the IOA, the Air Force, the SGC, and the United States President to put the three members of House Baenre in the care of Faith Hunker or as Triel preferred to call her Umrae Baenre. The weeks since they had escaped the citadel of House Baenre through the portal that Gromph had created she had come to accept the Half-Blood warrior and priestess of Eilistraee as her granddaughter.

Due to the glare of the sun of Earth's Triel, Gromph and Guldorl each now wore dark shaded sunglasses. The Drowess Cierre had taken Umrae, Triel, Gromph and Guldorl to a store called a Post Exchange on Fort Carson to get clothing and yes their sunglasses so that they would fit in better among the humans of Earth. Cierre had said, "There are other Drow who've come here since I came so we are not as rare, though we are still uncommon. This is the home world of the humans so don't screw things up. You will be welcome as long as you live according to their rules." That was a week or so ago. Triel was still adjusting to thinking in units of seven days or cycles than in that of ten.

They had flown from Peterson Air Force Base to the nearest airport to Chase County, Cottonwood Falls and the Hunker Ranch. This was the Salina Municipal Airport. Triel though the half hour flight was interesting. The land below was divided into circular fields and pastures where it wasn't wild grasslands as they flew eastward. These humans had used machines to do what she could have done with a spell or on the back of an enslaved dragon. Gromph of course could have just teleported them there if he had already known of the location of Umrae's home. 'Vlondril,' Triel began to think of her lost youngest daughter, 'you have done well and survived apart from House and Matron my daughter. You more than any of my children have honored the directions of the Queen despite turning your back on her and walking the path her daughter set for you.'

Triel looked at the massive almost castle like house of her daughter's human husband's family. It was nearly as big as some landed lords manor houses she'd heard of on the surface of Faerûn. There were ten foot high and three foot thick stone walls surrounding it. They had been driven down a nearly league long drive before she set eyes on the house set upon a hill that over looked all the surround low land. The stone wall surrounded the house and its out buildings one of which was a huge two or three story stone barn nearly three times the length of the house.

As they pulled up the lead car with Umrae and her Rivvil fiancé entered the gates that had been opened by some Rivvin males, no one male and one female in mottled green and brown clothing similar to that warn by the human soldiers. Each was armed with one of the smoke powder weapons favored by the Rivvin of Earth. As she rode up the drive and into the manor's coach yard she noticed that the two guards were not in fact Rivvin, but instead were Kitrye Ilythiiri. There were at least four others now all waiting for the cars to come to a stop at the house. Each like the gate guards were armed with a similar Earth Rivvin smoke powder weapon.

Vlondril watched from the front porch of the house that had been her home for the past forty to fifty years. Around her children and grandchildren stood ready with armed with the civilian version of the ubiquitous M4 carbine that was the descendent of the M16 used by the American military. Each also wore ACU style battle fatigues in the new Multicam pattern. Her offspring and their older children had over the years all gone into the American military and even today served either in the Active Army at Fort Riley or in the local unit of the Kansas Army National Guard.

They made up her household guard this day. Even her husband despite his advanced years was on the port armed, but he held a Mossberg riot gun resting the crock of his left arm. Johannes had been a good husband all these years and she and he bore several fine children into this world. Only Faith's twin brother Karl was missing and not present to welcome her mother Triel and her uncle Gromph as well as cousin Guldorl to House Hunker or she guessed it should in Drow tradition be called Qu'ellar Baenre d'Har'dro or House Baenre of Earth.

Vlondril stepped down from the porch wearing a straw sun hat to protect her skin and eyes as well as a pair of Oakley Gas Can sunglasses. She strode out escorted by her two youngest children and two oldest grandchildren each held their ARs in the low ready as they watched the Air Force sedans come to a stop. Vlondril chose to wear a light blue sundress instead of camouflage for this event. Her mahogany shaded skin lightly refracted the Kansas sunlight along its flawless surface. Her hair she wore in Norse like braids down either side of her head over her breasts.

Vlondril waited with her armed crossed as the first car stopped followed by the other two. A man in USAF Dress Blues opened the right rear door of the first car and her daughter Umrae or Faith stepped out wearing US Army Dress Blues. Then the Airman saluted her as she stood her full height. From the other side of the car Paul Baird stood up and put on his officer's peaked cap as he too was wearing USAF Dress Blues. Vlondril didn't care it was too warm to get overly dressed. Besides Triel may have been her Matron back on or rather under the surface of Toril, but here she was just mom.

After Paul came around the first car and stood with Umrae; the second car stopped with just enough room to walk between it and the first. After it came to a stop like before an Airman in dress blues stepped out of the right front door and opened the rear. This time her mother got out. She wore a pleasant pair of casual khaki slacks and a nice white summer weight linen blouse. Like Vlondril, Triel wore a hat to shade her face from the Kansas sun, but to help protect her eyes she wore an expensive pair of fashion sunglasses that matched her hat and blouse. Triel looked at her daughter smiling.

"Vendui Vlondril ussta dalharil, dos lor al. (Hello Vlondril my daughter, you look well.)" said Triel to Vlondril as she walked up face to face with her youngest daughter she had not seen in years. Vlondril actually looked like a younger version of Triel. The only difference was the lack of a spider motif tattoo and the sword pendant worn around Vlondril's neck.

"Vendui ilhar ol uriu tlus natha verve draeval yol Usstan vaen kyor dos. (Hello mother it has been a long time since I last saw you.)" Vlondril said as pleasantly as she could. She was looking into the eyes of the woman who not only gave birth to her, but also tried to carry out her grandmother's death warrant once it was learned that Vlondril worshipped Eilistraee instead of Lolth.

Triel nodded then said, "Ol zhahus ke natha verve draeval. Usstan kyorl dos morfel ol throug l'orthagyrrh d'nindyn vel'uss onhir l'Olath Wenress. (It was indeed a long time. I see you made it throug the redemption of those who worship the Dark Maiden.)" She noticed the amber eyes, the dark almost chocolate brown hair and the cooler mahogany brown skin her daughter now had.

"Siyo, ol zhahus zolarix, jhal Usstan dro'xunus. (Yes, it was painful, but I survived.)" Vlondril said then spoke more, "L'thir'ku rath ulu vel'bol udos jal h'uena loril saph zhahus natha belbol dal l'Darthirii Ilharn ulu jal vel'uss z'hin wun ukt dalharil's unboi'en. (The change back to what we all once looked like was a gift from the Elf Father to all who walk in his daughter's steps.)" Triel nodded and frowned at those words. Yet she understood beyond all doubt that her daughter had chosen her path and received her reward.

Looking at the half-blood adult children surrounding their mother and perhaps even grandmother Triel noticed also that House Baenre grew even here on this foreign world. "Vlondril, ussta dalharil Usstan kyorl dos inbal beldraus dosstan natha sel qu'ellar xuil dosst rivvil m'ranndii (Vlondril, my daughter I see you have built yourself a new house with your human husband.)" Triel looked at Umrae saying, "Dosst dalharil ussta autna Umrae morfethe biu sweer saroless jabbuk lu'qu'ellar yathrin. (Your daughter my granddaughter Umrae makes an excellent weapons master and house priestess.)" Then she looked back at her daughter and said, "Xun dos inbal cuass'ili wun dosst qu'ellar lu'xukuth whol dosst ilhar? (Do you have room in your house and heart for your mother?)"

"Usstan evagna dos ilhar, naut fridj p'wal Usstan tlun natha yathrin d'Eilistraee, jhal p'wal dos zhahen er'griff xundus vel'bol doerrus z'arlathil tluin l'dalharil d'Yvonnel Ilharess d'Qu'ellar Baenre. (I forgive you mother, not just because I am a priestess of Eilistraee, but because you were only doing what came natural being the daughter of Yvonnel Matron of House Baenre.)" Vlondril said as she closed with Triel and extended her arms in welcome. "Lu'oh zhah hiak' taniel gil'ssrigghinn? (How is grandmother anyway?)" She asked as the two embraced.


End file.
